Sengol-linked appeal
It is amusing to read that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asked the people of Tamil Nadu to elect more than 25 MPs of the NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha election as a ‘token of gratitude’ to the Prime Minister for installing the Sengol, a legacy of the Chola era, in the new Parliament. Respecting ancient culture is commendable but installing a Sengol in Parliament is not a big achievement. Votes will flow to the party if burning issues such as price rise, the agrarian crisis, bad loans, hatred and unemployment are resolved sincerely.
Kshirasagara Balaji Rao,
Hyderabad
Djokovic powers on
There are sporting stars who have entered the record books with their unique performances. But, Novak Djokovic, with 23 Grand Slam titles, is on a different level. No adulatory adjectives will suffice to describe his sterling qualities as a sportsman. When promising youngsters burst on the scene only to fade away with a few Grand Slams to their credit, Djokovic is going from strength to strength despite his age. The tennis world felt that he would not win another Grand Slam due to his non-participation in the context of his non-vaccination status against COVID-19, but he now stands atop with 23 Grand Slams. He is likely to win a few more (‘Sport’ page, “Djokovic continues to push the boundaries”, June 12).
V. Lakshmanan,
Tirupur, Tamil Nadu
It is extremely pleasing to see Novak Djokovic rising above his country’s complicated history of war and ethnic violence and achieving greatness in a very demanding sport such as tennis. It is all the more remarkable that his feat has been accomplished in an era when two other tennis greats, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, also flourished in this sport. Two outstanding images of Djokovic’s perseverance that are indelibly etched in tennis history are his unbelievable comebacks: in the 2011 US Open semi-final and the 2019 Wimbledon final. Novak Djokovic has not only excelled in tennis but has also displayed a sense of sportsmanship and fighting spirit that all of us can learn to emulate.
G. Parameswaran,
Coimbatore
